Today at Commission, EU agencies and agenda

On the agenda: German coalition talks, college of commissioners, EU agencies vote.

On the podium: Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas.

German elections: Schinas said his boss, Jean-Claude Juncker, spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday and again on Monday about the coalition talks. Even though fresh elections are a distinct possibility, Schinas said “Europe will not pause during this period.” As an example, he said the Commission will still put out its plans to revamp the eurozone on December 6.

College agenda: The commissioners will be busy tomorrow. They will discuss EU national budgets and if they comply with the bloc’s rules on debt and deficit. Commissioners will also adopt changes to the EU civil protection mechanism after several natural disasters — including forest fires and floods — hit Europe in recent months. Commission vice president Jyrki Katainen will brief his colleagues on his trade visit to South America and budget commissioner Günther Oettinger will discuss the outcome of EU 2018 budget talks.

EU agencies vote: Schinas said the Commission will now start work to amend regulations on the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority after EU countries voted on the new locations for the agencies on Monday. Both agencies will leave London because of Brexit, with the EMA going to Amsterdam and the EBA to Paris. Schinas said it was “the first visible result of the United Kingdom decision to leave the European Union.” The spokesman added that the Commission will provide technical expertise to help with a smooth transition to the new locations but didn’t give any details.

No east/west divide: The spokesman said there was divide between Eastern and Western European countries, even though both the EMA and EBA will be moving to “old” Europe after leaving the U.K. “The Commission works for the unity and the cohesion of the EU27,” Schinas said, saying Juncker believes “there are no reasons to talk about gaps and differences” between east and west and the Commission works on key dossiers that are important in Eastern European countries such as dual-food quality.